<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>On A Scale of One to Ten by PetalsToFish</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28747644">On A Scale of One to Ten</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetalsToFish/pseuds/PetalsToFish'>PetalsToFish</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe Jily (Magical) [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Auror!James, F/M, Healing, Healthy Relationships, Jealousy, Love at First Sight, healer to friends to lovers, healer!Lily, jily</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 03:26:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,151</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28747644</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PetalsToFish/pseuds/PetalsToFish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Lily starts falling for an insecure, yet charming auror named James who is recovering from injury in her ward. No one else on staff will sit and talk to him, mostly due to septic skin covering most of his upper torso. Lily, however, finds him charming and funny. Naturally, when James' injuries start healing, he grows more and more handsome. The other healers suddenly take interest in James, romantically, and Lily grows jealous.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Potter &amp; Lily Evans Potter, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe Jily (Magical) [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2199822</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>214</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On A Scale of One to Ten</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You <em> have </em> to let me see him."</p><p>The desperate plea that came from the intruder's lips was wrought with emotion as he pushed past a startled Lily Evans to the bed where a horribly wounded man sat awaiting a visit from his healer. Instead of assessing what had brought the man into the rehabilitation ward in the first place, Lily was assessing the healthy boy who had come charging into the room like the patient was on his deathbed. </p><p>The bloke flew into the hospital ward only moments before Lily, almost taking her out to get into the locked door. He wore a leather traveling cloak and his wand was tucked in the black bun atop his head. The boy was undoubtedly handsome. He had thick black hair, grey eyes, and perfectly thick eyelashes. His white smile was akin to the models she saw in <em> Witch Weekly </em>, but his expression was less sensual and more roguish.</p><p>“Are you family?” Lily asked with exasperation as she closed the ward door behind her.</p><p>The boy ignored Lily and instead addressed Lily’s new patient, "Peter left out the part where someone buzzed your hair off, you look <em> ridiculous</em>."</p><p>"You're one to talk, Padfoot." The boy in the bed moved painfully when he spoke to the man with the bun.</p><p>“Are you in a lot of pain?” Padfoot asked the man.</p><p>There was an attempted shrug. “I kinda feel like how Moony used to look on Full Moons.”</p><p>“You look <em>way </em> worse than that.” </p><p>“Gee, thanks.” The sarcasm from the patient was hard to miss. </p><p>Lily had to hand it to the stranger; he clearly cared a lot for the man in the bed. Nonetheless, Lily was still a healer and had to follow the rules of the hospital. She stepped forward and placed a hand on one leather shoulder delicately. The boy turned at her touch, looking her up and down.</p><p>"Alright," she said hastily, "you've seen he's alive, now you have to leave."</p><p>"Why?" The man spun on his heel to glower at Lily dangerously.</p><p>Lily straightened her shoulders so that they were eye level. "Only family members are allowed to visit patients."</p><p>"Listen, Ginger." Lily frowned at the crack on her auburn hair. "I <em> am </em> his family so unless you want to be healing yourself I suggest you <em> Back </em> . <em> Off </em>."</p><p>The boy in the bed exhaled, as if the irritability of his mate only entertained him. Lily, however, was not amused. She made it known with a flicker of disapproval on her face while she reached for her wand. The boy saw that move and countered with a wand of his own. </p><p>"What's your name?" She demanded.</p><p>"Serious?"</p><p>Lily took a deep breath. “Listen, I won’t hesitate to stun your ass and get you banned from the hospital.”</p><p>“Serious.” His grey eyes remained firm.</p><p>"Clearly, I'm being serious." Her blood was boiling. "What's your <em> name</em>?"</p><p>"<em>Serious</em>!"</p><p>Lily was going to punch him in the face, magic be damned.</p><p>The patient spoke up cooperatively from the bed. "No, his name is serious, spelled s-i-r-i-u-s."</p><p>Sirius nodded enthusiastically, jutting his thumb back at the patient, “he’s serious, and I’m Sirius.”</p><p>"What a stupid name." </p><p>Sirius put his wand back into his bun, “it comes from a stupid family so your statement is quite true.”</p><p>The boy in the bed chuckled. Lily glanced between her patient and 'Sirius' suspiciously. She wondered for a moment if Annabeth and Karlie from reception were playing a trick on Lily for a laugh. They got bored answering owls all day so it wouldn’t surprise her if they were pranking the healers now. When neither boy shouted ‘<em>gotcha</em>!’ Lily was forced to accept that the boy standing protectively over her ward was really named Sirius.</p><p>"Fine." She stated coolly. "Sirius, I need you to leave."</p><p>The boy clad in leather raised expectant eyebrows at her. " Healer..." He leaned forward to read her badge carefully. "Evans." He wrinkled his eyebrows together. "Healer Evans, I can't leave."</p><p>Lily pointed at the door that Sirius had come storming through minutes before. "I need to speak to my patient without you interrupting every second like a blundering idiot. So, unless you want to be permanently banned from the hospital grounds and never see your boyfriend again, I suggest you turn around and return to where you came from."</p><p>The boy in the bed moaned when a bubble of a laugh escaped his throat.</p><p>Sirius' eyes were a cool grey that reflected the challenge. "And if I refuse?"</p><p>"I'm checking you into the bloody mental ward." Lily shook her finger at the man. </p><p>"He checked in there once." For being in pain, her patient seemed to be enjoying the argument between his healer and boyfriend. "I'm afraid they kicked Sirius out immediately."</p><p>"On what terms?" Sirius looked over his shoulder to grin at the boy in the bed.</p><p>“You were too pretty to be mad.”</p><p>“God, I’m so happy those wizards didn’t kill you.”</p><p>“Me too.”</p><p>Lily, not wanting to hear anymore, grabbed Sirius by his shoulder before anymore could be said. Using all her force (and a wand pointed into his back) Lily managed to push the boy from the room. She could still hear his loud disagreements on the other end of the door.</p><p>"You. Can. Come. Back. Later!" She huffed before closing and locking the door behind Sirius.</p><p>"Sorry about him," the patient spoke merrily from the bed, "he really does mean well, he just comes off strong at first."</p><p>Lily hadn't even had a chance to address the boy in the bed, let alone learn his name. When she'd arrived at room one after a debrief from the lead rehab healer, she'd not expected spending the first half of her exam yelling at a boy named Sirius. Lily focused her attention to the boy in the bed and sucked in a troubled breath at his appearance.</p><p>Someone had buzzed his hair down to the scalp, likely in a hurry to try and clean off whatever had been poured on his head. His left eye was squinting at her. His right eye was completely swollen shut with bright red inflammation. Some of his face skin was eaten away and Lily was certain she saw bone in some places without getting close. It looked like someone had poured acid on his face and left him on the ground to rot. Lily noted the effects of skin damage started from his hairline all the way down and into his hospital gown. He looked awful, despite having the appetite for joshing with Sirius.</p><p>"It looks that bad, huh?"</p><p>Lily was surprised that the boy could speak at all. The right corner of his lips were bloodied and cracked. He was dehydrated. She would have to get him some water. He groaned as she shifted on the bed like he was trying to get comfortable. When he settled farther into the pillows he squinted at her again.</p><p>“Is your hair red?”</p><p>Lily didn't answer and instead looked away from the boy, busying herself with his chart. It was well written, surprisingly. He was being transferred from the main hospital in northern London to the rehab center outside of Wellington for his skin. It seemed he’d spent time under some of the best healers in London and Lily knew that he must’ve been transferred because his ailment was going to be long-term.  </p><p>
  <em> James Potter. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> 21. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Unknown components irritated and ate skin upon contact.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Symptoms: Loss of vision. Lack of appetite. Chronic Pain. Flesh disease. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> ***Rehabilitation paid for by the Auror Department. </em>
</p><p>"How long has this infliction been going on?" Lily asked James, leaning against his bed frame to take notes with a handy pen she kept tucked in her pocket.</p><p>"I was just born this good looking I guess."</p><p>Lily looked up from her papers to his face, managing a small smile. He was quite playful and attentive for someone who'd had their skin literally eaten alive. Normally the wards she rehabilitated were sour and moody, or at the very least, miserable. James Potter was a breath of fresh air to her normally mundane job. She was also impressed that he was an auror, as only the best in practiced magic joined the auror department. </p><p>"I meant your skin, Mr. Potter." She said softly, hiding her smile from him even though it appeared he couldn't see her very well.</p><p>“James, please.” James urged her. “I am not that formal.”</p><p>“Alright then James,” Lily said, “how long has this been going on?”</p><p>"It happened about a week ago." James replied chirpily, "I honestly think it's improved."</p><p>"Yeah?" She continued writing.</p><p>His tone flexed egotistically. "Yeah, because all the ladies at the front desk fell at my feet as they brought me in here."</p><p>Lily snorted and spoke without thinking, "James, your skin is literally <em> rotting </em> off your face." </p><p>Lily spun to face him, immediately sorry her insensitive retort had slipped out. Instead of looking angered though, his lip was curled into a half smile. She couldn’t believe she’d been so tactless, but he didn’t seem to mind. </p><p>"I guess they weren't crying because of my good looks then?"</p><p>“Uh…” She didn’t know how to answer.</p><p>James sighed, “well, at least I still have my shining personality.”</p><p>She liked him. He was shrewd in a sort of charming way that had caused a smile to filter across her features more than once. Looks aside, he was the first man in ages to make her smile so authentically. She placed down her clipboard and walked over to the right side of the bed. She wrinkled her nose as she got closer and smelled the indistinguishable smell of putrid flesh. His normal skin was dark, but the right half of his face was red, white, and disgusting.</p><p>"On a scale of one to ten, how much does it hurt?" She asked, reaching out with a gloved hand to touch his face.</p><p>"One hundred and twenty six."</p><p>"How specific."</p><p>"You’ll come to find that I'm very precise."</p><p>James winced when her hand touched his burned face. Some of the skin crumpled under her touch. She wondered why the main hospital hadn't figured out what substance caused the skin infection. It seemed like they had managed to stop the disease from spreading, but it still looked terrible. James hissed from pain when her fingers hit a bloody spot on his temple.</p><p>"You certainly did a number on yourself." She murmured, “this might beat the bloke who woke a sleeping dragon.”</p><p>“I bet he looked pretty rough.”</p><p>“The fire got his lower half.”</p><p>“Yikes.”</p><p>Lily examined a pus pocket near his ear, “how did you get this?”</p><p>"I'm an auror and we did an underground run of illegal substances." He enlightened, "some git poured this nasty yellow juice all over me when I was wrestling him for a box of dragon eggs."</p><p>Lily leaned closer and could see a bit of yellow among the white pus on his scalp. Now that she was close, he wasn't looking at her. Instead, his left eyes squinted at the sheets covering his legs. He seemed to be holding his breath too, as if afraid to startle her.</p><p>She bit her lip and wondered aloud. "It’s very odd that it's eating away your skin."</p><p>"If you could make it <em> stop </em> eating my face, that'd be <em> brilliant</em>."</p><p>Lily couldn't resist teasing him as she pulled away from his temple. "Feeling that self confidence draining with each passing second?"</p><p>"My self-confidence left the moment you walked through those doors."</p><p>“Can you see very well?”</p><p>“No.” He admitted, “but I can tell you’re really pretty.”</p><p>“Can you?” She was trying so hard to remain professional. </p><p>“Sure,” James chuckled, “you’re a very pretty blur.”</p><p>“Alright, tone down the charm, Mr. Romantic.” </p><p>She took a hold of his hands on his lap and yanked him off the pillow briefly. He winced at the movement and when she followed the trail of damaged skin past his collar Lily felt a lump in her throat.</p><p>"We need to take your gown off." She commanded.</p><p>"At least let me take you to dinner first." He retorted gallantly.</p><p>Lily snorted at his words and let her gloved hand wander to the neck of the hospital gown he wore. She unhooked the first button and pulled it aside to reveal red lines on his chest. The tainted skin continued all the way down to his abdomen. With each breath he took, Lily could tell the toxic substance wounded him more. Lily wondered how a man, who had to be in so much pain, could possibly be so funny.</p><p>Lily could tell where the trail of mystery acid had ventured too. She could almost see the accident happening. The man must've dumped the acid on James' forehead and the liquid seeped down the right side of his face, neck, and chest. Someone had done a shotty buzz cut to his hair, trying to help when the accident first happened. Lily examined the wound closely, ignoring James' sounds of protests each time she touched the burning sections.</p><p>The door opened as Lily was probing his body and James jumped a little from the intrusion, trying to cover the scars with the fabric pooled at his waist. Lily grabbed his good shoulder so he couldn't move before glancing behind her shoulder. Alissa Godders stood in the doorway, her face pallid as she considered James with shock.</p><p>"Godders get me some tweezers." Lily ordered the newer healer to break her from the stare that made James' skin warm under her fingertips.</p><p>"Of course." Godders seemed thankful for the excuse to leave the room abruptly.</p><p>Lily turned her head back to James.</p><p>His left eye peeked at her anxiously. "Am I really that ghastly looking?"</p><p>"Your boyfriend will love you no matter what." She joked as she made sure he wasn’t going into septic shock. </p><p>"It'd be fine if Sirius was my boyfriend." James chuckled, "But he's my brother."</p><p>Lily stared blankly at James, who was ten shades darker than Sirius. "Yeah, I can see the family resemblance."</p><p>James boasted, "I'm the better looking one, obviously."</p><p>Lily thought she liked him best when he was smiling, even if it was more of a grimace.</p><p>"Don't worry." She assured James before Godders returned with tweezers. "We'll have you back to your Prince Charming looks in no time Mr. Potter."</p><p>She lied to him of course.</p><p>It took them a week to figure out out exactly what toxic substance was eating away at James' skin. Lily only figured it out thanks to having an extensive background in potion brewing. A normal healer would've likely missed the signs of yellowing skin that just shouted wild parsnip juice. Parsnip nectar was brewed with a few other dangerous contagions to create the potion James was attacked with. As such, he was facing a lot of recovery time, waiting for his skin to heal and regrow.</p><p>Lily was granted the chance to be the head healer of his recovery team. She spent most of her time with James and even invented a salve of healing properties that included honey and mint. The salve calmed his burning skin and had to be rubbed in twice a day. James was also ordered massive amounts of skelegro and had to walk around his room once a day to keep his muscles moving. The first week, Lily had to help him walk. She was thankful he was only a head taller than her because he had to lean on her for support. </p><p>Originally, Lily only saw James twice a day. Once to administer new dressings to the pus filled cavities, and a second time to give him (forcefully) skelegrow. James seemed to look forward to her visits though, always quick to charm her with his wit. </p><p>Other healers refused to go into the room because of the status of his wounds. Lily couldn't blame them. The room itself often smelled like death, except for when Lily applied the healing salve. James’ rotting skin was healing but it still smelled like a rotting carcass. After another whole week, Lily finally got James to take a bath. He grew reluctant when he realized that she'd have to join him in the bathroom. He couldn't get anything wet above his torso but he seemed more relaxed after he sat waist deep in hot water.</p><p>Even with a bath once a week, the other Healers only trusted Lily to handle James when it came to intensive care. The others in the unit only worked with James on her days off. Lily actually preferred it that way, if only because she’d grown fond of her patient in room one. He really was the best part of her workday. </p><p>"It's just so gross seeing the bone under his skin." Alissa Godders complained as Lily went over how to apply the healing lotion one day in the breakroom. </p><p>"The smell is worse than anything I ever smelled in potions class." Angie Hopkins snapped her bubblegum as she talked. "I'd rather give a flea bath to a werewolf."</p><p>"It'll get better." Lily told the girls. "The skelegrow will help repair his bone and skin."</p><p>None of the other girls seemed as sure as Lily.</p><p>On the third week of skelegrow, Lily entered James' room with the salve with a cheerful disposition. Her excitement at seeing him again dropped when she found James staring out a small window at the street below. A late spring snowfall had dusted the courtyard in white powder. A few patients and healers were strolling around, enjoying the snowy atmosphere. Lily decided to offer James the opportunity to go outside and see the snow but he immediately turned her down.</p><p>"Don't want to scare anyone away."</p><p>It broke her heart that behind his playful tone, there was a note of truthful self-deprecation to his normally confident voice. Lily placed his lotion on the bedside table. She noted that James still had lunch on a tray. Everything remained untouched, even the fresh pudding. Lily glanced at the boy by the window with worry.</p><p>"Are you not hungry?" She asked him.</p><p>James casually glanced over his shoulder at the food, shrugged, and then turned back to the window. He looked so sad standing there. She figured he must be getting depressed, being locked up in a room all day while he healed. Lily crossed her arms and tapped her foot.</p><p>"<em>James</em>."</p><p>"Lily." He mimicked her motherly tone.</p><p>"You're re-growing your entire epidermis system." She reminded him. "You need to eat."</p><p>"Skelegrow makes me sick to my stomach." James shoved his fingers into the pockets of his hospital robe as he turned to stare at Lily.</p><p>The right side of his face dropped from the pain and the left side of his face was sorrowful. She couldn't stay mad at him. She uncrossed her arms with a sigh. Lily got James’s arm to help him back to the bed. James knew the drill after so many sessions with Lily and he started unbuttoning his robe to let the fabric pool by his waist.</p><p>"Why didn't you say something?" Lily crooned as she washed her hands and prepared to rub the lotion into his damaged skin. "I could've given you a potion for the nausea."</p><p>James shrugged his left shoulder. "I've never been hungry when I've taken skelegrow."</p><p>"You act as though you take it all the time."</p><p>The scent of honey filled the room as she took the salve from a hot plate where it was being warmed. She leaned down beside him and dipped her fingers into the mixture. The mint was already tingling her fingertips when she pulled her hand out. </p><p>"I played quidditch in school." James said, to explain his experience with skelegrow. </p><p>Lily eyed his lean figure. "Were you a seeker?"</p><p>"Seeker?" He sounded offended. "I'm a keeper." He proudly puffed his chest. "Gryffindor captain for three years, and two-time house cup winner."</p><p>"I bet you were really popular in school." Lily smirked and then let her fingers seep the salve into his temple.</p><p>James hissed and pulled away from her hand so she gripped his shoulder, keeping him close. His face was screwed up in pain whenever she rubbed the lotion into his wounds. It made her sick to her stomach just thinking about how painful his wounds had to be. He struggled to even breathe as she slowly worked her way to the less delicate portions of his injury. When she made it to the red lines on his chest he was able to speak again.</p><p>“I wasn’t too popular, at least not how you probably think.” James licked his lips, “I only hung out with Sirius and our other two best mates. We were massive nerds.”</p><p>“Nerdy quidditch star,” Lily tutted, “and only three friends?”</p><p>“I don’t count them as friends, so much as brothers.”</p><p>“I have a few girlfriends who are like sisters,” Lily agreed, “so I understand.”</p><p>“You know, come to think of it,” James said, "I don't remember there being a Lily at Hogwarts."</p><p>Lily nodded as she let her salve soak into his wounds. "My father was transferred to Paris for work so I went to Beauxbatons."</p><p>James managed to joke, even though he was in pain. "How tragic."</p><p>Lily grinned at him impishly. "Do you have something against my school?"</p><p>"Only that Hogwarts is way better." James said, reaching for his cold toast and biting into it heartily as he teased her. "Why not just go to Hogwarts?"</p><p>Lily explained as her fingers ran over his taught chest. "I did get the letter for Hogwarts, but your Headmaster suggested I stay closer to home and study at Beauxbatons."</p><p>"Unbelievable." He muttered as she wiped her hands off on a spare cloth and stood up. "I bet you even speak French, traitor."</p><p>"<em>Tu n'as pas tort. </em>" She hummed and he stuck out his tongue, prompting a smile from her.</p><p>"You would've been a Gryffindor like me if you went to Hogwarts." James told her as she helped him back into his Hospital gown. "You're very plucky."</p><p>Lily rolled her eyes as she made her way to the door. "Says the plucky auror."</p><p>"Being an auror isn't always heists and dark magic outbreaks." </p><p>"No?" She couldn't resist leaning against the door to his room and she stared at the left side of his face, fraught with concentration.</p><p>He said delicately, "sometimes I wish I had just been a professional quidditch player."</p><p>Lily blinked at him with surprise. "You don't like being an auror?"</p><p>James replied rather bitterly, "it gets kind of lonely sometimes."</p><p>Lily was determined to make sure James didn't ever feel lonely. She managed to get ahold of his mate Sirius in the hallway after a quick visit one day. She encouraged Sirius to bring more of James' mates by, hoping it would improve his self-esteem. He needed more socialization outside of his healer and rogue brother.</p><p>Lily had assumed that Sirius would have a party of people by the next day but instead, Sirius returned to the rehab ward with two other boys about James' age. The first was a sickly looking boy with sandy hair and the second was a short boy with rosy cheeks. They definitely weren't her first pick of friends for an auror but she was happy when she entered James' room that night to a real smile from her ward.</p><p>The boy who looked sickly returned every Wednesday with a stack of cards, often in the company of Sirius. Lily eventually met him after helping James get a shower one day and learned his name was Remus. The shorter friend who popped in after his night shifts was Peter, and he brought Lily and James sweets from Honeydukes. Lily came to look forward to Peter's visits the most.</p><p>One thing Lily did notice as the weeks turned into a little over a month, was that James never had any family visit. Sirius, Remus, and Peter were his only visitors. Not even any of the aurors from James' office showed up. It struck Lily as odd that a boy who claimed he didn't like being lonely was so alone. Either way, James seemed content with his friends and was improving steadily with each day.</p><p>On week seven, James' right eye reopened. Lily entered his room in the morning to find two very bright and dazzling hazel orbs squinting back at her. It caught her off guard and she almost dropped the skelegrow on the floor. Over the next few days her green eyes sought his pretty hazel orbs in wonder. </p><p>Lily had never once felt any wonderment in eye color but she found herself staring at James' eyes as she rubbed her healing ointment over his face. He never stared back at her either, not as he chatted about something Sirius had said over dinner, or even when they sat in complete silence. Lily was glad he hadn't noticed her increased stares as she fell in love with the way his eyes lit up when he told a story.</p><p>Soon Lily learned that James wasn't staring at her because vision hadn't always been his strong suit, even before the accident.</p><p>"I wear glasses you know." He told her one night as she was preparing to leave him.</p><p>"Oh?" She was busy writing on his chart, the skin on his chest was almost completely healed and even his temple looked a thousand times better.</p><p>"Yeah." He was picking at his dinner still. "I can't see well without them. In fact, everything's still kind of a blur."</p><p>"Until your facial skin isn't as delicate, I don't want you putting glasses on." She warned him, slipping the chart on the edge of the bed. "Your chest is still raw, and that got the least of the toxic parsnip. I'd say your face has at least another three weeks of healing."</p><p>"Hey Lily?"</p><p>She loved when James called her by her first name. She'd never felt so relaxed with a patient before. It should've alarmed her, but everything about James in her life seemed so normal. He was her friend, an interesting thing to consider since she was also his healer. She just really enjoyed hanging out with him whenever she could. </p><p>“What’s up, James?”</p><p>James moved the spaghetti on his plate around with a fork before asking. "I know tomorrow you're off, but I was wondering if you would like to come in for a bit to go for a walk around the courtyard?"</p><p>Lily perked up. "You want to go outside?"</p><p>It was the best thing she'd heard from James all day. He had been avoiding public places, disgraced by his looks. It was a step in a positive direction that he wanted to go out. Lily couldn't bring herself to say no.</p><p>"Of course." She beamed, "I'll stop by after teatime."</p><p>When she arrived the next day wearing her normal robes, it caught the receptionists off guard. Annabeth even sniffed indelicately at Lily's auburn hair, down and in pretty waves. Karlie put down her book when Lily scanned her wand to check into the building. They were both suspicious. </p><p>"Isn't it your day off?" Karlie popped the bubblegum in her mouth when she spoke.</p><p>"Yeah." Lily told the administrators. "Room one requested an attendant for a walk outside in the courtyard and I didn’t mind coming in for a bit."</p><p>"Room one?" Annabeth's interest perked. "You mean the auror?"</p><p>Karlie waggled her eyebrows. "Kristina Baldwin removed the bandages this morning since you were out and <em> apparently </em>, you were keeping it a secret about how fit the Auror was under all the-"</p><p>"Skin mutilation?" Lily responded drably. "I wasn't hiding anything. You couldn't even look at him when he came in.”</p><p>"He was gross." Annabeth argued, "not all of us have stomachs of steel."</p><p>"He's much better looking without all the blood and gore." Karlie giggled, prompting a grin from Annabeth.</p><p>“I bet when he heals up completely,” Annabeth said, “that I can get him to go on a date with me.”</p><p>“I’ll ask him before you get the chance.” </p><p>Lily rolled her eyes as she stuffed her wand in her pocket. She didn't know why it annoyed her that Annabeth and Karlie had taken a sudden interest in James, but she was still scowling when she knocked on James' door before entering.</p><p>The sight before her was a hundred times better than it was when she had first met James. He stood straighter in the middle of the room, both eyes sparkling when she entered. The bandages were still covering the right side of his face but she could see normal, healthy skin appearing on his scalp. Little bits of black hair were starting to pop up on his skull too. When James arrived at the hospital, his hair had been buzzed to his head. Now his jet black strands were starting to develop creativity and curl with the help of the skelegrow.</p><p>Even covered in bandages, he looked like a new person. "You look great today, James."</p><p>"Thanks." He flushed under her compliment. "I wish I could say the same about you, but I still can't see that well."</p><p>"I'm nothing special." Lily snorted.</p><p>"I disagree," James said smoothly, "there's nothing more special than a woman who dedicates her life to helping people."</p><p>“I swear,” she muttered affectionately, “you could flirt with a wall and still be charming.”</p><p>James scoffed as she helped lead him out of his room and down a set of stairs until they pushed open a door outside into the cool spring air. The trees were starting to bud and a few white flowers were popping up around the courtyard. Lily led James to a bench by one of the smaller trees, sitting him down comfortably before falling next to him. They sat in silence, content with each other's company, until Lily broke the silence with one of her many questions.</p><p>"Do you have family?"</p><p>"My mum and dad died three years ago." He seemed to know what she was insinuating. "I'm the last Potter."</p><p>"Sirius?"</p><p>"Adopted." He explained, "He ran away from a bad home."</p><p>"That's sad." Lily muttered, folding her hands in her lap.</p><p>"Nah," James replied. "I think my dad and mum expected I'd stay a bachelor and are happy I've got him, even if it's not forever."</p><p>"Not the marrying type?" Lily tried to imagine anyone but herself at his side, it was hard.</p><p>"I'd love to get married." James sighed, "but it's hard being an Auror, I'm always traveling." </p><p>“That must be fun, to travel.”</p><p>“I’ve stayed longer in this hospital than I’ve stayed at my flat in the city.” James leaned back, turning his face up to the sun, “what about you? You like to travel?”</p><p>Lily nodded. "I grew up in Cokeworths, moved to Paris and then settled in this town. It's fun to travel but I also like staying in one place."</p><p>"What made you come back to England?" James asked, "not enough hospitals in Paris?"</p><p>Lily brushed her fingers through her hair. "No, there were plenty of Paris hospitals."</p><p>"Beauxbatons kicked you out, didn't they?" He jested with a playful elbow jab.</p><p>“Ha. Ha.” She poked his arm. "No, I just missed home."</p><p>"So even though you lived in France, you still considered England home?" James seemed to be trying to understand her life.</p><p>"Home isn't a place that you live in." Lily replied poetically, "it's where your heart is."</p><p>James' shoulders dropped suddenly. "So you moved here for a boy then?"</p><p>"What?" She couldn't resist snickering and watched as his shoulders relaxed. "No, my Dad and mum moved back to Cokeworths my sixth year and I missed living near them."</p><p>"Are they both magic?"</p><p>Lily shook her head no, "I'm muggleborn."</p><p>“I haven’t met too many muggleborns.” James admitted, “they’re pretty rare at Hogwarts.”</p><p> She said, "I was quite the sore thumb at Beauxbatons too. English. Red hair. Muggleborn. Potions geek."</p><p>“I had a friend in school, Mary,” James said, “she was muggleborn, one of the few in Gryffindor. I think she was one of the bravest girls that I’ve ever met.”</p><p>“Don’t we have to be?” Lily thought of politics in the world, “some people don’t believe we deserve magic.”</p><p>James looked at her in surprise. She blushed under his impressed stare.</p><p>"What are you looking at me like that for?"</p><p>James shook his head in awe before stating, "I just wish we'd gone to school together."</p><p>She was glad he was hard of vision because that meant he couldn't see the wide smile erupt on her face. She still turned her head away from him, just in case. She spent the rest of the afternoon with him, even taking dinner with him in his room. It was the best night she’d had in quite some time because he knew how to keep her laughing. </p><p>As days went on, James only improved. Lily watched as the charming auror slowly became every healer's favorite patient on the second floor. Lily no longer was involved solely in his care. More and more healers were stepping up to get a chance at working with the charismatic auror. </p><p>The day after Lily’s weekend, she walked into his room to find that he and his mates were entertaining half the staff. Even some of the patients sought James out on the lawn, eager to hear one of his many stories. Everyone loved him. It was almost startling how quickly he could win over anyone in his presence. </p><p>Lily watched as James' bandages became smaller and smaller. New patches of raw baby skin were appearing all over his body. Most impressive was James' hair. It grew at an astonishing rate and was all over his head. It fell in hectic disarray that led Lily to believe that James didn't know how to brush his hair. Lily marveled in the ability of James' hair to have a mind of its own by defying the laws of gravity. </p><p>It was like a transformation in Lily's favorite muggle fairy tale where the princess kissed the beast and he turned into a handsome prince. Lily hadn't kissed James, but he certainly was only improving tenfold under her tender loving care. Most of the damage was disappearing with the help of Lily's salve. With each passing day, James looked less like a beast and more like a prince. </p><p>Lily only wished she could work up the gall to tell him that she fancied him something awful, without sounding like all the other healers throwing themselves at his feet.</p><p>James got to take his first shower alone. When he emerged from his shower wearing regular clothes, Lily almost dropped her quill. His hair fell to one side of his face and looked softer than anything. His clothes were loose on his frame but the sleeves were rolled up to show off his tan skin. He actually laughed when he looked at himself in the mirror, he was so pleased with himself.</p><p>Lily was going to miss him terribly when he finally was discharged. Some of the other healers were hoping to give him his last dose of skelegrow but Lily was certain she'd stun all of them if they even tried. She had an attachment to the auror that the others couldn’t even dream up, even if they did yearn. </p><p>"He's so handsome." Annabeth gushed at lunch to the healers. "Who knew that underneath all that dead skin was a model?"</p><p>Lily couldn't stop herself from snapping at Annabeth, "there's more to James than just his looks you know." </p><p>Everyone at the table stared at her.</p><p>Lily took the rest of her lunch break outside, away from their judgy eyes. By dinner time, she managed to get the skelegrow before half the female population and took it to room one. Her hands were shaking as she considered the goodbye. James' door was partially open and he was talking to Sirius. James’ brother had arrived when Lily was downstairs. He’d claimed to have James' glasses in hand, something James needed before he was discharged. </p><p>"I can't thank you enough for bringing my specs." James was saying to Sirius thankfully. "I hated being so blind."</p><p> Sirius responded with a bark of a laugh, "I can't believe you managed to go so long without running into anything."</p><p>"Lily's been helping me get around." </p><p>Lily couldn't believe she was eavesdropping, or that her heart raced when James said her name so affectionately. Sirius didn’t help with his pointed reply. </p><p>"If you fancy her now, just wait until you see her with those specs on."</p><p>"Fuck."</p><p>Lily regretted pushing open the door as soon as Sirius had spoken. Sirius was sitting on the bed staring up at James, who wore thick black frames atop his long nose. Both boys turned their heads when the door squeaked open. Sirius waved cheerily, as if he hadn’t just said James fancied Lily outloud.</p><p>James just stared at her blankly, like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. </p><p>Lily was very aware of the way James' eyes deliberately skimmed slowly. They traveled from the tips of her brown work shoes, all the way up to the auburn crown braid atop her head. He looked well put together and less of a mess than her, considering she felt feverish under his extraordinary stare. Finally, his eyes settled on her eyes and his handsome face broke out into a smile.</p><p>"Got your last bit of skelegrow." Her voice cracked as she waved the bottle in the air. </p><p>Sirius launched up from the bed. "Look at the bloody time, I have to go uh, make sure Remus knows you're being discharged."</p><p>Lily winced when Sirius closed the door behind her when he left. James had her undivided attention. The only bandage left was the one on his forehead and cheek, where the toxins had set the most. He was handsome, in a dorky way that that was simply endearing. Lily hadn't even imagined that his black frame glasses could've pulled off his look even more.</p><p>"Here." She thrust the skelegrow at him. "You've got to keep taking two teaspoons, twice a day, or your skin will scar."</p><p>James chuckled in an amused way as he took the skelegrow from her, making their fingertips brush. He put the skelegrow on the bedside table. Instead of stepping away, James took another step towards her. In seconds, he was almost flush against her person. His hazel eyes were wicked when he smirked, twisting her stomach into knots.</p><p>"Mind helping me apply the last bit of healing lotion Emily dropped off?" He asked nonchalantly, nodding to the lotion on his bedside table.</p><p>"Emily didn't want to help you?" Lily hoped James didn't notice the scathing way she spoke Emily's name.</p><p>"The only healer I trust in this building is you." James replied, ignoring the roll of her eyes as he sat down on the bed and slowly peeled the bandages off his face.</p><p>Lily took a deep breath, knowing she had to get closer, and stepped into James' space. He handed her the lotion and she washed her hands before slowly rubbing the salve into the tender skin on James' face. Normally, he kept his eyes closed during that part of treatment. Now, his eyes were focused and trapped on Lily’s face as she worked.</p><p>"Green." He murmured as she filled the deep pocket on his forehead with the healing ointment.</p><p>"Hm?"</p><p>"Your eyes." James lifted a hand and caught her chin, causing her hand to stop cleaning his wound. They're amazing."</p><p>"Thanks."</p><p>She blinked and then found herself leaning into his touch as his eyes skimmed over her face hungrily. Her fingers traced down his temple and rested on his cheek. His spare hand traced her cheek tenderly. James' lips parted into a toothy grin.</p><p>"You were pretty when I couldn't see a damn thing properly." He confessed, "but now you're definitely the most gorgeous woman that I've ever seen."</p><p>“Still charming.” She said weakly, “aren’t you?”</p><p>James leaned into her space and pressed his lips against hers without reserve. Her body was on fire from his touch and it was only a chaste kiss, testing the borders of their relationship. He smelled like mint and honey from the healing ointment and she could feel the chapped side of his mouth from where he was still healing.</p><p>She pulled her mouth from his. "Your skin is still really raw, James."</p><p>"You worry too much."</p><p>He surged his lips against hers again. She laughed against his mouth as she tossed her arms around his neck. James skimmed his teeth against her lower lip and deepened the kiss greedily. She felt like she'd have to check herself into the cardiac ward the minute his hands released her cheeks. Her heart was beating at a rate that seemed too fast to function properly.</p><p>She'd forgotten about the ointment on her hands, and now James' hair was covered in it. She could taste the balm on her lips when she licked them. James pulled away finally, pressing his nose against hers, when she sighed happily. </p><p>He nuzzled her nose against his. "Thank you." </p><p>"For what?" She felt like she ought to be thanking him for the stellar kissing.</p><p>"Thank you for liking me for me." He replied back courteously, "rotting skin and all."</p><p>"The specs almost ruined it for me." She joked, always feeling giddy and lighthearted around him.</p><p>He wrinkled his nose at her. "You're such a liar."</p><p>"No really." She fought to keep a straight face. "Acid burned skin I can deal with, no problem, but glasses? Definitely a deal breaker."</p><p>“On a scale of one to ten,” James tucked her hair behind her ear, “how badly do you want to go on a date with me tonight?”</p><p>Lily pretended to think for a second and then she replied coyly, “one hundred and twenty six."</p><p>James’ face lit up even more, recognizing Lily’s words from their first conversation. "That’s very specific."</p><p>"You’ll come to find that I'm very precise." </p><p>Lily kissed him again. James leaned into the kiss, using ample amounts of repositioning to lully her farther and farther into his arms. She was so caught up in his mouth, his smile and his touch that she totally forgot she was at work. Finally, he pulled back slowly and she could take a deep breath of fresh air. James leaned his forehead to hers, the pockmarked skin still soft from the lotion. </p><p>“On a scale of one to ten,” he whispered, “how happy are you right now?”</p><p>“Ten.” She wrapped her fingers into the hair at the base of his neck. “Ten, times a bajillion.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>***REWRITTEN 2021 FROM 2017 VERSION</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>